Locker system for gymnasiums.



A. J. THORNLEY.

LOCKER SYSTEM FOR GYMNASIUMS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1912.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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earr n s ALBERT J. THORNLEY, 0F PA'WTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR- T0 NARRAGAN- SE'IT MACHINE GOMPANY, )F PAW'IUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF EHOJDE IQLANID.

LOCKER SYSTEM FOR GYMNASIUMS.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT J. THORNLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locker Systems for Gymnasiums, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in locker systems for gymnasiums, and the object of the invention is to provide asystem' of lockers which economizes space and reduces the cost of locker installation, and in which only sufiicient dressing lockers are provided for the current need of the members, while still providing an individual box locker for each member, in which box locker the member may keep, under lock and key, his gymnasium clothing and the like. I

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box locker section. Fig. 2. is a similar view of a dressing locker section. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a dressing locker section in which the dressing lockers are of but half the size of those shown in Fig. 2, and Figs. 4: and 5 are top plan views partly in section of the dressing rooms of a gymnasium, showing the manner in which the system is carried into practice. It is well known that the individual lockers at present commonly used in gymnasiums are actually used only from two to six hours each week, and the lockers are much larger than necessary for the storage of the gymnasium clothing, consequently space is wasted.

[In accordance with the present invention each member is given a box locker shown in Fig. 1 at 1,.each box locker being equipped with a padlock 2. The box lockers are only of suflicient size to receive the gymnasium clothing of the members and are only about one-sixth the size of the usual dressinglockers 3 depicted in Fig. 2.v In Fig.2 the dress ing lockers 3 are provided with hasps 4 that are adapted to receive the padlocks of the lockers 1. In Fig, 3 of the drawings the individual dressing lockers are only onehalf the size of those shown in Fig. 2 andhave heaps 4 to receive the padlocks 2. The smaller dressing lockers of Fig. 3 are'for Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 27, 1912.

. use gymnasiums where the dressing room Patented Feb.- I '7, 1914' Serial No. 711,846.

space is small, or where economy in installation is desired or where the dressing lockers are to be used by boys.

It Will be understood that the proportion of dressing lockers to the number of box lockers is determined by the number of the membership of the gymnasium that attend at one time. Thus in Fig. i of the drawings the proportion of box lockers to the number of dressing lockers is about six to one, while in Fig. 5 the proportion is about nine to one.

In accordance with the present system each member is given a box locker 1 and a key for the padlock 2 thereof. The dressing lockers 3 are unprovided with padlocks, that is to say, they are normally open, and are only closed when a member enacts the following procedure: A member coming to exercise, removes the padlock from his box locker-1, takes out his effects and carries them with his padlock to any one of the dressing lockers 3 which happens to be vacant. The member then dons his gymnasium suit and places his street clothes in the dressing locker 3 and locks the same with his padlock 2 that he has brought from his box locker. After exercising he returns to the dressing locker 3 that contains his clothes, opens the same by removal of the padlock, dons his street clothing, and carries his gymnasium effects to his box locker, and puts said effects in his said box locker and looks it. Thus the dressing locker 3 that he has used has been left open by him, enabling the same tobe used by another member. When the member has returned his gymnasium effects to the box locker 1 and has locked same, the lockin operation automatically setsa use signed 5. The laundryman unlocks the box lockers in sections by means of a lever 6 and removes the soiled clothes and towels and puts the dry, clean, sterilized clothing and towels in the box locker ready for use when the member again returns to the gymnasium for exercises.

From the above it will be apparent that the dressing lockers which are of less numher than the box lockers 'andiwhich occupy so much room, are normally open and unoccupied, while the box lockers which hold the effects of the individual members and which occupy comparatively little space, effect a saving, not only in the cost of installation,'but further in the space required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A locker system for gymnasiums comprising one series of lockers adapted to store the gymnasium effects of the members and approximating in number the number of members and another series of lockers ap-' proximating in number the number of members likely to be using the gymnasium at any one time and larger in size than the first named lockers and adapted to hold the street effects of the members, the number and size of the larger lockers being such in relation. to the number and size of the smaller lockers that the space occupied by the entire locker system is substantially less than wouldbe required by a single set of lockers each of the size of the lar er lockers and equal in number to the num er of the smaller lockers.

2. A locker system for gymnasiums comprising one series of lockers adapted to store thegynmasium efi'ects of the members and approximating in number the number of members and another series of lockers approximating in number the number of members likely to be using the gymnasium at any one time and larger in s1ze than the first named lockers and adapted to hold the street effects of the members, the number and size of the larger lockers being such in relation to the number and size of the smaller lockers that the space occupied by the entire locker system is substantially less than would be required by a single set of lockers each of the size of the larger lockers and equal in number to the number of the smaller lockers, and locking means for each smaller locker for normally locking same and being removable therefrom to enable the locking means to be applied to any one of the larger lockers when a member removes his gymnasium efiects from the smaller locker that has been assigned to him and places his street efiects in one of the larger lockers.

3. A locker system for gymnasiums comprising one series of normally locked lockers adapted to store the gymnasium efi'ects of the members and approximating in number the number of members, and another series of normally open lockers larger in size,

adapted to hold the street eliects of the members and approximating in number the number of members likely to be using the gymnasium at any one time, the number and size of'the larger lockers being such in relation to the number and size of the smaller lockers that the space occupied by the entire locker system is substantially less than would be required by a single set of lockers each of the size of the larger lockers and equal in number to the number of the smaller lockers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to' this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT J. THORNLEY.

llVitnesses:

ADA E. HAGERTY, J. A. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

